Month: February 2021

Yerevan, Tehran Discuss Discuss Removing Trade Barriers

Raffi Khondkarian

January 25,  2020



ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie (r) and Armenian Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan (l) meet in Tehran on Jan. 25.

Head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Gholam-Hossein Shafeie met with Armenia’s Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan on Monday to discuss ways of removing barriers to the expansion of economic cooperation, Tehran Times reported.

In this meeting, the two sides underlined the capacities for bilateral cooperation and explored ways for removing the existing challenges and obstacles to the expansion of trade relations and increasing the volume of joint investments by the two sides’ private sectors.

Considering some problems in the field of transportation, Shafeie proposed the establishment of a joint transit and transportation company between the two countries to overcome such issues.

The official noted that joint production by the two countries would be a successful solution for removing the existing hurdles for boosting trade relations between the two countries.

He further pointed to Armenia’s prominent role in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the country’s convenient access to the European market, describing the Armenian market as very valuable for the Iranian private sector’s trade and investment purposes.

“Iran and Armenia can reach an agreement to reduce trade costs by negotiating, exchanging trade delegations, and holding exhibitions,” Shafeie said.

Stating that the only shared land border between Iran and the EAEU region is the border between Iran and Armenia, the official stated that the fields of cooperation between the two countries are very diverse.

The Armenian minister for his part announced the dispatch of a delegation of Armenian entrepreneurs to Isfahan within a month and proposed the dispatch of a delegation from the Iranian private sector to Armenia.

According to Kerobyan, these visits will make the two sides’ private sectors more familiar with each other and their existing capabilities.

Heading a trade delegation, Kerobyan arrived in Tehran on Friday to discuss the expansion of trade relations between the two countries.

During this visit, which was organized by the Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Ministry, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding for boosting trade ties.

The MOU was signed by Kerobyan and the Iranian Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Alireza Razm Hosseini in Tehran on Saturday.

The Armenian minister also met with the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdolnaser Hemmati and discussed banking issues and ways of increasing the level of trade between the two sides.

Opposition Lawmaker Asks PACE to Pressure Baku into Releasing POWs

Eduard Nalbandian

January 25,  2020



Leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party Edmon Marukyan holds protest at PACE session in Strasbourg, France on Jan. 25

Opposition lawmaker Edmon Marukyan from the Bright Armenia party, who is a member of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly to the Council of Europe, is raising awareness about the issue Armenian prisoners of war who are still in Azeri custody, in an attempt to make the international community exert pressure on Azerbaijan to release them.

He released a video from the PACE winter session from Strasbourg, displaying a “Freedom To The Armenian Prisoners of War Kept In Azerbaijan” sign before the session began.

“We started the PACE session by raising our voice of protest and demanding to exert international pressure upon Azerbaijan with the demand of immediately releasing the Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives,” Marukyan, who is the leader of the Bright Armenian party said.

Leader of two political groups at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) have raised the issue of Armenian prisoners of war with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić, Marukyan said.

“As a result of our work done during the discussions in the PACE political groups this morning and during the plenary session, the leaders of the two political groups Aleksander Pociej (European People’s Party) and Jacques Maire (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) raised the issue of releasing the Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe,” Marukyan said in a Facebook post.

More bodies found in battle zones as search operations continue, says Artsakh

Samvel Nahapetian

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 10:06, 25 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. 2 more bodies have been found during the search operations on January 24, the State Emergency Service of Artsakh said, adding that according to the preliminary data one of them is a civilian found in the territory of Tumi village in Hadrut region.

Forensic examination will be carried out to identify the bodies.

So far, a total of 1283 bodies have been found in the battle zones as a result of the search operations. 15 of them are civilians who either have been murdered or killed in shelling.

Today the search operations are carried out in the directions of Varanda (Fizuli), Jrakan (Jabrayil), Hadrut and Mataghis.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia SC Secretary congratulates Jake Sullivan on appointment as Biden’s National Security Advisor

Aram Torosian

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 10:21, 25 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan sent a congratulatory letter to Jake Sullivan on his appointment as National Security Advisor to the President of the United States of America, Mr. Grigoryan’s Office told Armenpress.

The letter reads as follows:

“Dear Mr. Sullivan,

Please accept my warmest congratulations on your appointment as National Security Advisor to the President of the United States.

I am confident that your knowledge and experience will significantly contribute to the promotion of the US national security and foreign policy agenda.

Armenia attaches great importance to its bilateral relations with the United States of America based on the shared values of democracy, protection of human rights and the rule of law. We also attach great importance, to the role of the United States as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group in the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the final resolution of the status of Nagorno Karabakh. I am confident that the United States' efforts will be instrumental in ensuring comprehensive stability and security in our region.

I hope to meet with you soon to discuss the Armenian-American partnership to make it more inclusive and comprehensive”.

Catholicos Aram I congratulates US President Joe Biden on assuming office

Arbi Tashjian

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 10:58, 25 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has sent a congratulatory letter to US President Joe Biden on assuming office.

In his letter His Holiness stated that the Armenian people and especially Armenians in the United States are ready to cooperate with him and his administration for the protection of human rights and values, strengthening of the ties between the US and Armenia, as well as the establishment of peace in the globe.

Catholicos Aram I reminded that President Biden, when he was serving as member of the Senate, has established friendly ties with the Armenian people and has shown a special respect to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. His Holiness Aram I expressed confidence that the President should continue supporting democracy, sovereignty of peoples and prevention of genocide, expressing hope over the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United States.

Aram I wished success to the US President.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh hold anti-terror drills

Emma Nadirian

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 11:00, 25 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. The Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh periodically hold anti-terror exercises, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a news release.

During the most recent drills, the simulated scenario involved the manning of firing positions and shutting down highways for stopping traffic, the ministry said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Artsakh reports 3 COVID-19 daily cases

Yeghisabet Vorskanian

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 11:15, 25 January, 2021

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. 3 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Artsakh in the past 24 hours.

65 tests were conducted on January 24, the ministry of healthcare told Armenpress.

A total of 2285 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Artsakh.

The number of active cases is 40.

The death toll stands at 31.

The ministry of healthcare has again urged the citizens to follow all the rules to avoid new outbreaks and overcome the disease.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Artsakh’s police force, emergency situations service merged into Internal Affairs Ministry

Ani Kharatian

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 13:44, 25 January, 2021

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. The State Service of Emergency Situations and the Police force in Artsakh are merging into a single body, the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan signed an order on amending his 2020 December 17 decree on the Cabinet’s structure to formalize the unification of the agencies.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Iranian FM meets with Azerbaijan’s President and Foreign Minister in Baku

Anna Tamamian

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 13:46, 25 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Baku as part of his regional visit, the Azerbaijani media report.

The Iranian FM has already met with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

The Iranian FM will visit Yerevan on January 27. He will also pay a visit to Georgia and Russia.

Earlier Zarif said he is planning to visit the countries which will help to overcome the Karabakh crisis and establish peace and stability in the region.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

LHK leader Edmon Marukyan asks PACE colleagues in Strasbourg to pressure Baku into releasing PoWs

Garnik Tadevosian

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 15:57, 25 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Opposition lawmaker Edmon Marukyan from the LHK party, who is a member of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly to the Council of Europe (PACE), is raising awareness on the Armenian prisoners of war of the 2020 Artsakh War who are still in Azeri custody, in an attempt to make the international community exert pressure on Azerbaijan to release them.

He released a video from the PACE winter sitting from Strasbourg, showing himself displaying a “Freedom To The Armenian Prisoners of War Kept In Azerbaijan” sign before the session began.

“We started the PACE session by raising our voice of protest and demanding to exert international pressure upon Azerbaijan with the demand of immediately releasing the Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives,” Marukyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan